The present invention relates to the art of medical diagnostics. It finds particular application in conjunction with the display and processing of non-invasive image data, such as MRI, CT, and analogous images and will be described with particular reference thereto.
Electronic medical diagnostic information is often collected in three dimensions. For example, a series of contiguous planar CT or MRI images may be collected and stored as volume image data in a three dimensional or triply subscripted memory. Other imaging techniques, such as spiral CT scanning, PET scanning, and the like, may also be utilized to generate three dimensional information.
Various cutting planes and cutting surfaces may be defined through the three dimensional volume and corresponding data accessed in order to generate images of selected regions within the volume. The images can represent three dimensional projection of the imaged volume with selected regions removed, slices or surfaces through the volume, or the like. Among other purposes, these selectable images are conveniently displayed during surgery. As the surgery progresses, it is advantageous for the surgeon to be able to look progressively deeper into the volume undergoing surgery to ascertain each layer of underlying structure and tissue.
However, the keyboard or other control panels for controlling the display of the selective images from the three dimensional image data are not readily amenable to sterilization. If the surgeon is to control the exact views which are displayed, the surgeon must touch the keyboard compromising the sterile condition of his surgical gloves, necessitating re-sterilization or the application of a new pair of sterile gloves.
Medical diagnostic images can be less than perfect for any one of a wide variety of reasons. Various filters have been developed to compensate for various types of image degradation. However, the selection of the appropriate filter is conventionally made by a trained radiologist based on his experience and the nature of the defects in the viewed image. It is often necessary for even the trained radiologist to try several different filters in order to optimize the image. Moreover, many of the correction or filter algorithms have selectable weighting controls which affect how much correction or filtering is performed. The selection of such weighting or analogous functions is again operator selected and optimized by trial and error.
Often, the CT and MRI images are evaluated by radiologists. Many of the radiologists started their careers evaluating x-ray exposed photographic film. The computer control of image planes, filters, and the like can be intimidating and can slow the image data evaluation process. Moreover, in order for the radiologist's evaluation to be usable by other doctors, it is commonly recorded on a physical medium, such as recording tape, or handwritten or typed on paper. Typed or printed text is easiest for another physician to read and evaluate. Audio recordings are easiest for evaluating radiologists, as well as the operating surgeon, to make.
The present invention provides a user friendly diagnostic image display and evaluation recordation system that is conveniently utilized by radiologists, surgeons, and others.